Category: En Famiglia

Busman’s holiday

is what my truck driver father used to say when he was driving the family around on weekend outings. I thought of that seeing Brian painting the bottom of his boat just before launching. Brian works at Beaton’s and works on customers boats all spring and is only now getting his in.

Went out early again this morning before the crazies took over the bay. Nice little southerly that shifted to the southeast without the usual calm intermission.

Pics follow:

Brian
Busman’s holiday

Reading room
Set up the folding chair on the foredeck, reading and watching the marsh drift by. Reading a book by the Captain of Brilliant, the famous 1932 Olin Stephens schooner, about her Atlantic crossings in the late 90’s.

Claire
My son David was out in his C&C24 Claire. He came in Third in the Spinnaker Class in the Metedeconk Spring Series

tarred marline
Renewing the seizing on the tiller line.

Ingrid Ann
Ingrid Ann, a local shallow draft tug used in dock building.

Two sails this weekend

along with some hedge trimming. Took off Friday and got underway before 8:00am. Light and variable Westerly but enough for a pleasant four hour sail. Went down to Hankin’s Island Friday and hove to for a bit. Nice to have plenty of room to relax and let Sjogin take care of herself. Long beat back in a rising Northwest wind. Gusty and shifting but not too much velocity. Short sail today in light Southerlies. Managed to cause two speedboats to wait for me to sail across the channel up by the club.

Pics follow:

Hankins
Hankin’s Island, about 2 miles or so south of Beaton’s. Named for the surf boat building family of Lavallette.

Red Sails
Red sails in the sunrise. Just after starting out Friday morning.

Marsh edge
Tacking along the marsh edge. The bottoms just a foot or so under Sjogin’s keel

Mary Ann
One of the original A Cats, Mary Ann. She was completely rebuilt in the late 80’s by Benjamin River Marine in Brooklin, Maine

Ed Lowe
The figure you can just make out on the Sea Sprite is Ed Lowe. He just turned 89 and sails stretched out on the leeward cockpit seat, propped up with cushions.

Osprey
Osprey and young; Great White Egret working the shoreline

”Garden"
The yellow flowers are a plant we thought was Evening Primrose but is probably just an attractive weed.

Julia
Julia, roses, clematis and a glass of Sancerre. A perfect early Summer combination.

Not much to report

and I haven’t gone for a sail since returning. Usual Saturday and Sunday morning visits and still cool enough for a fire and cup of tea. Also started on the perennial beds in earnest. Garden pics next week.
Here are some recent pics:


Nothing like shop dried Jersey White Cedar to start a fire.


Progress on the new Flatfish. Here the pattern for the sheer strake is being fitted. Note the glued on batten that mimics the shape of the molded Herreshoff sheer strake. This is done so the pattern bends in the same fashion as the actual sheer strake.


The Ospreys have returned. You can just make out one on the platform Tom Beaton, myself and other erected about 20 years ago. Although not a high as they prefer, good nesting sites are at a premium so we’ve had nesting pairs for the past few years.


Spring has sprung. Julia collecting Daffodils.

Unseasonable today…

..but more Winter like tomorrow. About 45 degrees today, wind 8 to 10 SSW, building later. Had a quick fire and tea after restocking the wood basket with shop scraps. (Nothing like shop dried cedar and white oak for a quick fire.) Pics from today and last weekend follow:

Fire
Today’s fire. The note paper has plans for a galley box to be located on the bulkhead.

First snow
First significant snow of the year last weekend.

Next Flatfish
The form for the next Flatfish is now in the woodshop and the patterns are being sorted out. Charlotte will soon have a sister. In the foreground is the bench seat for Lotus

Lotus
Varnish build-up on Lotus.

Chain plate
Sjogin’s chain plates. Note the letters stamped into each one; AP is aft port, PF is port forward. This was done by the builder.

Julia
Julia in front of the fire last weekend.

Last sail of 2005

Went out with Tom Beaton for the last sail of 2005. Also some late Christmas pics.

Sjogin
Ready to go, stove drawing well, waiting for Tom. Wind was ENE about 4 to 6, 34 degrees with an occasional spritz of drizzle.

Beaton's astern
You’re looking at David Beaton and Sons, West Mantoloking.

Tom Beaton
Here’s Tom Beaton, David’s grandson, watching Sjogin take care of herself as the family boat yard is framed in the open hatch.

Tree
Our Christmas tree this year. Use by date of January 1st.

Party elf
“OK, her eyes are covered, let’s PARTY!” Inspired decorating by my son.

Boxing Day

Here are some pics from this Christmas weekend:

Christmas Dinner
We were 10 today for Christmas Dinner.

New seat
Sjogin has a new seat; a Christmas gift from my son, David. Suprisingly comfortable.

Jeff and Sasha
My other son Jeff and his girlfriend, Sasha. We went out this past Friday afternoon, after the Beaton’s Christmas party. Again hove to off Swan Point, stove warding off the chill.

Julia and Muriel
Julia and Muriel, sharing secrets.

Sunday, December 18th

Had a near perfect late Fall/early Winter sail on Sunday. About 30 when I set sail. Bay water level down about a foot or so. Very light SW breeze; 2 to 5 kts at first, later up to 8 to 10. South going current so when hove to on the port tack, Sjogin stayed almost in one spot. Went below for about an hour, read another chapter in Mischief in Patagonia and had a cuppa.

Here’s some boat pics, also one of our Muriel:

Mast swag
Swan Point is visible between the mast and jib.

Reflections
Some sun today, about a low as it gets at noon for the year.

Down below
Down below with the last of the tea warming by the stove.

Muriel
Our very comfortable Muriel. Notice the mouse figures at the end of the arms.

Sunday, December 11th

Quiet day after our annual Christmas dinner party. Quick visit for a check on Sjogin and a fire and brew-up. Need to see what her leak rate is as I expect the bilge to start freezing in a few weeks. Left the pump off yesterday and about 2″ of water over the keel by this afternoon, about average.

Wind from the WSW at 12 or so but slackening. Damp and chilly; by the time the cabin was warm it was time to go.

Here are two pics from today and one of my wife a few weeks ago:

Fire 12.11.05
Today’s fire; a quick one using cedar and fir.

Chilly Sjogin
Bone chilling day.

Julia driving Sjogin
My wife driving Sjogin at speed.